From a soon to be student

[free11]

I have a question If someone pref. that
is just starting out in their emt career, I would
like to know what is the take home pay
for an emt, are the hours really intense and
what should I expect when I get started?

Please explain

 

[imurphy]

Expect to take up smoking. Drinking Coffee. Missing appointments. And pay.... well it aint that good starting out. Or being in for a long time! Expect a second job!!

But, I was an IT Engineer before this. Took a 20K pay drop. Never looked back. This is THE career, IMHO!

 

[RxEmT83]

pay

dont let the pay bring you to this but the love of it. depending on how far you are taking the emt you would make more as a nurse in the same amount of time

 

[free11]

Is it really that intense, and what kind of money are we talking about here, is it liveable.

 

[imurphy]

dont let the pay bring you to this but the love of it. depending on how far you are taking the emt you would make more as a nurse in the same amount of time

Or working in Wall-Mart!

But seriously, it IS for the love of the job!

 

[free11]

It's not so much the pay, but it is because I want to make sure that I have enough money to live and to pay for school because I'm also going back to school for something else but I need a good job to help me through and I'm just trying to decide if I should do this or not I've already paid for the class and now I don't know I just want to make sure because I don't want to have to get a 2nd job that would be too much being an emt going to school and trying to work a 2nd job that would actually be 3 jobs.

 

[free11]

help!!

u guy's I still need more help!! Please
I'm not sure of what to do.

 

[daimere]

One of the women in my EMT class said working at Wendy's was higher pay that his EMT job.

 

[imurphy]

Daimere... Shhh! You'll scare the newbie!!

free11: Yes, the money is bad, but you get a good feeling you'll never get from any other job. I left the IT sector because I came home and never felt I had accomplished anything. I can't say I've ever felt a day like that since I started in this all those years ago!

 

[daimere]

It scared me, too! I really hate how people assume that EMS is good money.

 

[imurphy]

Hell, when Inter-Facility patients found out how badly we got paid, we sometimes got a tip!

 

[ffemt8978]

u guy's I still need more help!! Please
I'm not sure of what to do.

First of all, relax. People check this forum in their spare time and don't hang around waiting to answer questions. Give it some time, and you'll get more responses as more people see this thread.

 

[KEVD18]

its tuff to give you iron clad answers without knowing your geographic location.

the gamut runs from minimum wage private transport jobs to municipal 911 at $30/hr. but if we dont know where it is you're inquiring about, all you'll get is generalizations.

 

[Ridryder911]

I have a question If someone pref. that
is just starting out in their emt career, I would
like to know what is the take home pay
for an emt, are the hours really intense and
what should I expect when I get started?

Please explain

You want answers, then one should call the human resources of the EMS they want to be hired on at. There is several thousands of dollars difference in one EMS than another 30 miles apart. The hours the number of responses, type of area is worked upon and demands. There is not ONE sure answer. Even if people answered it would not be right.

EMT's in my area make < 25k a year. Some make 30 and I know of some in other areas of the country that receives 40.. all dependent upon location.

This is something one has to do upon their own.

R/r 911

 

[free11]

response to kevd18

I do apologize I am located in South Carolina

 

[free11]

Thank you R/r 911 That is helpful

 

[free11]

Another Question If I May!

Where can I find information on where I want to work after completion
of my course do I have to just work for an ambulance company or can I work at a hospital, How does that work if I'm making any sense at all.

 

[pumper12fireman]

Some areas do allow EMT's to work as ER techs in the hospital. Basically, from my experience, you make beds, take vitals, and possibly some other licensed skills (blood draws, Foley's etc) depending on the hospital system. Pay is typically (in my area) a lot better than working in a 911 system, but the work is a lot more mundane IMO.

 

[reaper]

Depends on what part of the state? You will range between $7-10 hr.

 

[lalaneedstopass]

It all depends where you live and where you'll be working. I talked to a few of my instructors and a few EMT-B's all working at the place I'm interested in. They all said start is about 10$ an hour with TONS of over time and looking at about 35k a year. Looking at other places further from me, some were 25k a year and some were 45k a year. I've learned from previous jobs not to take on jobs because of money but because it's what you want to do. I had a job that I was getting about 15$ an hour but it was in a call center and I absolutely hated it. I know this job is definitely not about the money but it is a great stepping stone to get me to where I want to be eventually. I mean from here I can go on to being a medic which I heard from a medic gets 45k a year, then from there where I want to end up is being an RN where starting is at about 100k a year. If the med scene is where you want to be for the rest of your life then you're gonna have to deal with the hard times in going to school and working this job or maybe 2. But definitely call the place of interest or speak with someone working there already and find out how much they get and how much overtime is available. Because overtime is always worth it and is much like a 2nd job besides not having to work as much as you would on the 2nd job because ONE you don't have to work around more schedules and TWO you normally get paid a differential.